872 E P I 
EPIS'TLE,y. [from eths-oAh, Gr.] A letter. This 
word is feldom ufed but in poetry, or on occafions of dig¬ 
nity and folemnity: 
When loofe epiflles violate chafte eyes, 
She half confents, who filently denies. Dryden. 
Epistles and Gospels, in the liturgy of the church 
of England, are felect portions of fcripture, taken out of 
the writingfc'of the evangelifts and apottles, and appoint¬ 
ed to be read, in the communion-fervice, on Sundays and 
holidays. They are thought to have been felefted by 
St. Jerom, and by him put into the leftionary. It is 
certain, they were very anciently appropriated to the 
days whereon we now read them, (ince they are not only 
of general ufe throughout the weftern church, but are 
alfo commented upon in the homilies of feveral ancient 
fathers, which are faid to have been preached upon thofe 
very days to which thefe portions of fcripture are now 
affixed. The epiftlesand gofpels are placed in an admir¬ 
able order and method, and bear a fpecial relation to the 
feveral days whereon they are read. The year is diftin- 
guiflied into two parts ; the firft being defigned to com¬ 
memorate Chrift’s living among us, the other to inftruft 
us to live after his example. The former takes in the 
whole time from Advent to Trinity-Sunday ; the latter, 
all the Sundays from Trinity to Advent. During the 
firft of thefe feafons, the epiflles and gofpels are calculat¬ 
ed to raife in us a grateful fenfe of what our Saviour dif¬ 
fered for us, and fet before our eyes his nativity, circum- 
cifion, and manifeflation to the Gentiles; his doctrines 
and miracles; his baptifm, farting, and temptation; his 
agony and bloody fweat; his crofs and paffion ; his death, 
burial, refurreftion, and afcenfion ; and the million of the 
Holy Ghcft. During the fecond feafon of the year, the 
epirtles and gofpels tend to inftruft us in the true paths of 
Chriftianity. 
EPIST'LER, f. A fcribbler of letters. 
EPIS'TOLARY, adj. Relating to letters; fuitable to 
letters. Tranfafted by letters.—I (liall carry on an cpijlo- 
lary correfpondence between the two heads. Addifon. 
EPISTOLOGR A'PHIC, adj. [from etti roAii, an epiftle, 
and Gr. to write.] Belonging to the writing of 
letters ; writing letters. 
EPISTO'MIA, f [from em, upon, and r&v/.a, Gr. a 
mouth.] In anatomy, the opening of one vert'd into ano¬ 
ther ; the jundtion or meeting of the veffels. 
EPISTO'MIUM, f. in hydraulics, a plug or inrtru- 
ment by which an aperture may be opened and flint at 
pleafu re. 
EP'ISTYLE, f. in the ancient architecture, a term 
ufed by the Greeks for what w’e call architrave , viz. a 
mafiive done, or a piece of wood, laid immediately over 
the capital of a column. 
EP'ITAPH, y. [from epitaphium, Lat. emrcctpiov, of etti 
< rw t o.tpa, Gr. upon a tomb.] A monumental infcription, 
in honour or memory of a perfon deceafed : 
Some thy lov’d duff in Parian rtones enfhrine, 
Others immortal epitaphs defign ; 
With wit and ftrength, that only yields to tlnne. Smith. 
The origin of epitaphs and monumental infcriptions, 
feems to have proceeded from that ftrong prefage or fenfe 
of immortality, naturally implanted in the minds of men. 
Their invention is attributed to the fate of Lynus the 
Theban poet, who flourifhed about the 2700th year of 
the world, and who being unhappily flain, his fcholars 
lamented the lofs of their mafter in a particular kind of 
mournful verfes, called from him JElinium , and after¬ 
wards epitaphia ; becaufe they were fung at burials, and 
engraved upon monuments a mevioria , to put men in mind 
cf the inftability of human nature, as well as to refpeft 
and imitate the virtues of their departed friends. 
EPIT'ASIS, f [from ewi and retvu, Gr. to extend.] 
A term with phyficians for the beginning and increafe of 
a paroxyfm or difeafe.—In dramatic poetry, it is the fe- 
E P I 
cond and bufiert part of a comedy, wfierein the plot 
thickens, and is, as it were, brought to its height. 
EPI ITIALA'MIUM, f. [Lat. epithalame , Fr. epito- 
lamio, Ital. B 7 ri/&a. 7 '.ce(/.H>v, of etti, and SaAap.o;, Gr. a bed.] 
A nuptial fong ; a compliment upon marriage.—Epi- 
thalamia were fung amongft the Jews, at the door of 
the bride, by her friends and companions, the evening 
before the marriage. Pfalm xlv. is an epithalamium. 
Among the Greeks, the epithalamium was fung as foon 
as the married couple were gone to bed, and attended 
with fhouts, and ftamping of the feet; a practice as coarfe 
as that of “ throwing the flocking,” amongft the vulgar 
in England, Scotland, and Ireland ; to which it probably 
gave rife. > >* 
EP'IIHEM, f [from e®-i$e p,«, Gr.] A liquid medi¬ 
cament externally applied.—Cordials and epithems are ne- 
ceftary, to rertft the putrefaftion and ftrengthen the vitals. 
Wifeman. 
EPI'THESIS, f. [from eot, and ti6 r,/>A, Gr. to cover 
or lay upon.] In furgery, the rectification of crooked 
limbs by means of inftruments. 
EP'ITHET, f . [epitheton, Lat. cmSeror , Gr. a thing 
added to.] An adjeftive denoting any quality good 01- 
bad : as, the verdant grove, the craggy mountain’s lofty 
head.—I affirm with phlegm, leaving the epithets of falfe, 
fcandalous, and villainous, to the author. Swift. —It is 
ufed by fome writers improperly for title, name.—The 
epithet of fhades belonged more properly to the darknefs 
than the refrefhment. Decay of Piety. —It is ufed impro¬ 
perly for phrafe, expreftion.—For which of my good parts 
did you firft fuffer love for me.-Suffer love ! a good 
epitket: I do fuffer love indeed: for I love thee againlt 
my will. Shakefpearc. 
EPI'THETON, f . The Greek original of epithet, put 
by Skahefpeare into the mouth of Armado.—I fpoke it, 
tender Juvenal, as a congruent epitheton-. Love's Labour loft. 
EPI'THYMUM, f . in botany. See Cuscuta. 
EPITO'GIUM, J. [not much ufed.\ A tabard, a loofe 
upper garment, a kind of hood worn by ftudents after 
taking a degree in the univerfity. Phillips. 
EPI'TOME, f . [from eeziltyiuj , Gr. to retrench.] 
Abridgement; abbreviature; compendious abftract; 
compendium.— Epitomes are helpful to the memory, and 
of good private ufe. IVotton. 
To EPI'TOMISE, v. a. To abftraCt; To contract into 
a narrow fpace.—If the ladies take a liking to fuch a di¬ 
minutive race, we ftiall fee mankind epitomized, and the 
whole fpecies in miniature. Addifon. —Lefs properly, to 
diminifli by amputation ; to curtail.—We have epitomized 
many particular words, to the detriment of our tongue. 
Spectator. 
EPI'TOMISER or Epitomist, f . Anabridger; an 
ab ft rafter ; a writer of epitomes. 
EPITCENIUM, f. [from E-nu upon, and teivw, Gr. to 
ftretch.] An inftrument to ftretch cords, a peg in a mufi- 
cal inftrument, a device to force water up out of a well. 
Phillips. 
EPI'TRITUS, f. [in poetry.] A foot confifting of 
four fyllables, the firft fhort and the three following long. 
EPITROCHAS'MUS,/. [from etti upon, and 'rpoya.if, 
Gr. to run.] A figure in rhetoric in which feveral things 
are run over in a hurry. 
EPIT'ROPE, f. [from etti upon, and rgs-nu, Gr. to 
turn.] A figure in rhetoric in which the orator advances 
what he might deny in order to obtain what he demands. 
EPIT'ROPUS, f . [from etti upon, and - reyna , Gr. to 
turn.] An arbitrator; one chofen by the Chriftians in 
Turkey to decide their differences, and prevent the incon¬ 
veniences of applying to the civil magiftracy. 
EPIT'YRUM, f . [with the ancients.] A kind of 
fallad. 
EPIZEUGME'NON, f . [in rhetoric.] The diezug- 
menon, a figure in which feveral fubjefts have reference 
to one verb. 
EPIZEU'XIS,/ [from nu upon, and fyvyvup, Gr. to 
j oin -3 
